The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 3: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79 (O) version of 30 December 2003 – PrologueWilliam LanglandEdited by Katherine Heinrichs Graduate Research Assistants Patricia Bart, Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Peter Eubanks, Paul Fyfe, Paul Gaffney, Janice McCoy, Chloe Smith, Timothy L. Stinson, Jordan Taylor, and Keicy Tolbert. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Kirk V. Hastings, Richard A. Peterson, Daniel Pitti, Jonathan Rodney, and John Unsworth.Published for the Medieval Academy of America and The Society for Early English and Norse Electronic Texts (SEENET) by Boydell and Brewer Ltd. Cambridge ISBN: 1843840251

copyright 2004, by SEENET

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2004

SEENET A.5

Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79

brown inkanglicana bastardaitalicLombard Capornamented capital, N lines highrubricatedtouched in redtexturaunderlinedunderlined in redgreen inkblue ink

LatinFrenchGermanMay, 2001catalogerPatricia BartNew header createdPers plowman

O.P.000: A vertical line, hooked at the top, three line-spaces in height, precedes the title. The following lines appear at the head of the text: Et sine verborum  sonitu . fit doctor eorumIpse tuam mentem  regat & faciat sapientemRecte credentem  monitos que bonos retinentemVt bene viuendo  mandata que sana sequendo Leticiam vere  lucis . merearis habere Que tenebras nescit  miro que decore nitescit Et cuicumque datur  sine fine beatificaturHoc tibi det munus  qui regnat trinus & vnus . amen.

In the endleaves of the manuscript, Skeat describes these lines as "the tag-end of a Latin poem of small merit" which "has no connection whatever with Pers Plowman." They are the final eight lines of the <foreign lang="lat">Carmen Paraeneticum ad Rainaldum</foreign>, a twelfth-century poem of unknown authorship (PL 184, 1307A-1314C). Thanks are owed to Michael Blum for the research that led to the identification of this fragment.

IN a somer sesoun  whanne soft was þe sunneI schope me in schroudes  as I a scheep wereIn habyt as an heremyt  vnholi of werkisWente wyde in þis world  wondres to heereAc on a may mornyng  on Maluerne hillisMe befel a ferly  of fayrie me þouȝteI was wery for-wandrid  and wente me to restVndir a brood bank  bi a bornes sydeAnd as I lay & lenede  & lokede in þe watrisI slumbrede in a slepyng  it sweyuedeO.P.10: This word caused scribal confusion. YC2CL share the reading of O; other variants include sweyd (G), swyȝed (HmCRF), sweyed (WM), and sweuenyd (H). Although the MED relates the form swiȝede in the corresponding line of the C-text (Trinity MS) to swevenen, "to dream," Skeat's gloss on sweyued as meaning "flowed, rippled along" (Dan. svæve) accords better with the sense of the line. However, the MED lists no forms of sweien with a medial <u>. Schmidt (363) adopts the reading of ZA, sweyed, which he glosses as "sounded." Kane and Donaldson adopt this form as well. so myrieÞanne gan I to meten  a merueylous sweueneÞat I was in wildernesse  wiste I neuere whereAs I behelde in-to þe est  on hyȝ to þe sunneI sawȝ a toure on a toft  triedlicheO.P.14: The form triedliche, meaning "excellently," appears in ME only here and in The Destruction of Troy 3054, 9786, 10583 (cited in MED). Variants include trieliche (WGYLF), trychlych (Cr3), ryaly (H), rieliche (CM), rychely (HMCR12), and reallecle (C2). Kane and Donaldson adopt trieliche. I-makedA deep dale byneþe  a dongeoun þer-InneWiþ depe dichis & derke  & dredeful of syȝtA faire feeld ful of folk  fonde I þere bitweneOf al manere of men  þe mene & þe richeWorchynge & wandrynge  as þe world askiþSumme putte hem to þe plow  pleyede ful seeldeIn settynge & souwynge  swonken ful hardeAnd wonnen þat wastouris  inO.P.22: GOC2 alone have in in place of correctly alliterating with. glotenye distroyenAnd summe putten hem to pride  apparayleden hem þer-afterIn countenaunce of cloþing  coomen disgysedIn preyereO.P.25: OC2 alone have the singular form. & in penaunce  putten hem manyAl for loue of oure lord  lyueden ful streyteIn hope for to haue  heuene-riche blisseAs ancres & heremytis  þat holden hem in her sellesAnd coueyten not in contre  to cayren abouteFor no likerous lijflode  her lickam to pleseAnd summe chosen chaffare  þei cheuen þe betterAs it semet to oure siȝt  þat swicheO.P.32: OC2 alone lack a word between swiche and þryuen; most B manuscripts have men. þryuenMinystralisAnd summe myrþes to make  as mynystrales kunnenAnd geten gold wiþ her gle  notO.P.34: OC2 alone include the negative. synles I leueAs iapers & iangeleris  Iudas childrenÞatO.P.36: YOC2M alone include Þat. feynen hem fantasies  & foles hem makenAnd han her witt at her wille  to wirche if þei schuldenO.P.37: OC2 alone have the form schulden; most B manuscripts have schulde.Qui non laborat non manducetO.P.38: This line is divided after laborat, so that it appears opposite ll. 38-39. Kane and Donaldson (224) exclude this gloss, which occurs only in OC2, on the grounds that it is scribal.Þat poul prechiþ of hem  I nyle not preue it heere Qui turpiloquium loquitur  is lucifers knaueBidderis & beggeris  faste aboute ȝiedenO.P.40: OC2 alone have the form ȝieden; all other beta witnesses have yede.Wiþ her bely & her baggys  of breed ful I-crammydFaiteden for her fode  fauȝten atO.P.42: OC2 alone lack þe before ale. aleIn glotenye . god it woot  goon þei to beddeAnd rysen wiþ ribaudie  þeO.P.44: OC2 alone have þe; most B manuscripts have þo. roberdis knauesSleep & sory slouþe  suen hem euerePilgrymys & palmeris  pliȝtedenO.P.46: OC2 alone have the form pliȝteden; variants include plyght (Cr), plighted (YLM), pyghtyn (F), pyth (H), gedir (C), and pliȝten (WHmG). hem to-gyderesPilgrimysTo seke seynt Iames  & seyntis in Rome Þey wenten forþ in her wey  wiþ many wise talesAnd hadden leue for to lye  al her lijf afterI seyȝ summe þat seyden  þei hadden I-souȝt seyntisTo iche a tale þat þei toldenO.P.51: OC2 alone have the form tolden in place of tolde.  her tunge was temperid to lyeMore þanO.P.52: OC2 alone lack to before the infinitive. seye soþ  it semede . bi her specheHeremytis on an heep  wiþ hoked stauesWenten to walsyngham  & her wenchis afterheremytisGrete lobyes & longe  þat loþ weren to swynke Cloþeden hem in copis  to be knowen from oþereAnd schopen hem heremytis  her ese to haueI fonde þere freris  alle þe foure ordresFrerisPrecheden þe peple  for profiȝt of hem-seluen Gloseden þe gospel  as hem good likedeFor coueytise of copes  construeden it . as þei woldenO.P.61: OC2 alone have the form wolden; most B manuscripts have wolde.Many of þeise maystre freris  mowen cloþen hem at likyngFor her money & marchaundisesO.P.62: OYC2C alone have the plural form.  marchen to-gyderisFor siþ charite haþ ben chapman  & cheef to schryue lordischaritasMany ferlies han fallen  in a fewe ȝieris But holi chirche & þei  holde bettre to-gyderisÞe moost myscheef on erþeO.P.67: OC2 alone have erþe in place of molde.  is mountynge vp welO.P.67: OC2 alone include both vp and wel. fastePerdonnerisÞere prechede a pardoner  as he a preest were Brouȝte forþ a bulle  wiþ bischoppis seelisAnd seyde þat hym-self myȝte  assoylen hem alleOf falshed of fastyng  & of vowes IbrokenLewede men leuedenO.P.72: O alone has the form leueden; most B manuscripts have leued. hym wel  & likeden hise wordisComen vp knelynge  to kissen hise bullesHe bunchede hem wiþ his breuet  & blerede her yenAnd rauȝte wiþ his ragman  rynges & brochesÞus þei gyuen her gold  glotounes to kepeAnd louenO.P.77: OC2 alone have louen; most B manuscripts have leneþ. siche loselis  þat leccherie hauntenWere þe bischop Iblessid  & worþ hise boþeO.P.78: O alone transposes boþe hise. eresHis seel schulde not be sent  to disceyue þe pepleAc it is not bi þe bischop  þat þe boye prechiþFor þe parisch preest & þe pardoner  parten þe siluerÞat þe pore porayleO.P.82: YOC2M alone have pore porayle; variants include pore men (F), poraille (WHmCL), and pouerty (Cr). Kane and Donaldson emend to pouere peple. of þe parisch  schulde haue . if þei ne wereCuratisPersounes & parisch prestis  pleynedenO.P.83: O alone has the form pleyneden; most B manuscripts have pleyned. hem to þe bischop Þat her parisches weren pore  siþ þe pestelence tymeTo haue a licence & leue  at london to dwelleAnd syngen þere for symonye  for siluer is sweteBischoppis & bacheleris  boþe maystres & doctourisÞat han cure vndir crist  & crownyng in tokeneAnd signe . þat þei schulden  schryuen her parischenesPrechen & preye for hem  & þe pore fedeLiggen in london  in lenten and ellisSumme seruen þe kyng  & his siluer tellenIn checker & in chauncerie  chalengen hise dettisOf wardis ofO.P.94: HmOC2H alone have of; variants include & (CrGYCLM) and and of (WRFH). wardmotes  of weyues ofO.P.94: HmOC2 alone have of in place of and before streyues. streyuesAnd summe seruen as seruauntis  lordis & ladyesAnd in stede of stiwardis  sitten & demenHer messe & her mateyns  & many of her ourisArn doon vn-deuoutliche  drede is at þe lastLest crist in consistorie  curseO.P.99: OC2 alone have curse; most B manuscripts have acorse. ful manyI parceyuede of þe power  þat peter hadde to kepeTo bynde & to vnbynde  as þe book telliþHow he . it selfO.P.102: OC2 alone have self; most B manuscripts have lefte. wiþ loue  as oure lord hyȝteAmongys foure vertues  þe best of alle vertuesÞat cardynalis ben clepid  & closyng ȝatisÞere crist is in kyngdam  to close & to schitteAnd to opene it to hem  & heuene blis scheweAc of þe cardynalis at court  þat cauȝten of þat nameAcO.P.108: O alone has Ac; all other beta witnesses have And. power presumedenO.P.108: O alone has presumeden; all other beta witnesses have presumed. in hem  a pope to makeTo haue þat power þat petir hadde  Impugne itO.P.109: OC2 alone include it before I. I nylleFor in loue & lettrure  þe eleccioun bilongeþFor-þi I can & IO.P.111: OC2H alone include I before the second occurrence of can. can not  of court speke moreÞanne cam þer a kyng  knyȝthod hym laddeMyȝt of þe comunes  made hym to regneAnd þanne kam kynde witt  & klerkis he madeFor to counceyle þe kyng  & þe comune saueÞe kyng & knyȝthod  & clergye boþeCasten þat þe comune  schuldenO.P.117: OC2 alone have the form schulden in place of sholde. hem-self fyndeÞe comune contreuede  of kynde witt . craftesAnd for profiȝt of al þe peple  plowmen ordeynedenO.P.119: O alone has the form ordeyneden; all other beta witnesses have ordeyned.To tilie & trauayle  as trewe lijf askeþÞe kyng & þe comune  & kynde witt . þe þriddeSchopen lawe & leute  iche man to knowe his owneÞanne lokede vp a lunatyk  a lene þing wiþ-alAnd knelynge to þe kyng  clergiali he seydeCrist kepe þee sir kyng  & þe þi kyng-richeAnd lene þee toO.P.126: OYC2M alone include to before lede. lede þi lond  so leute þee louyeAnd for þi riȝtful rewlyng  be rewardid in heueneAnd siþþen in þe eir on hyȝ  an aungel of heueneLowede to speke in latyn  for lewede men ne koudenO.P.129: OC2M alone have the form kouden; all other beta witnesses have koude.Iangle ne Iugge  þat Iustifie hem schuldeBut suffren & seruen  for-þi seyde þe aungelversusSum rex sum princeps  neutrum fortasse deincepsO qui iura regis  cristi . specialia regisHoc quod agas melius  iustus es . esto piusNudum ius a te  vestiri vult pietateQualia vis metere  talia grana sereSi ius nudatur  nudo de iure metaturSi seritur pietas  de pietate metasO.P.138: A bracket in the right margin connects the preceding seven lines; horizontal wavy lines join each line of text to the bracket.Þanne greuede hym a goliardeys  a glotoun of wordisAnd to þe aungel on hyȝ  answerede afterversusCumO.P.141: YOC2C alone have Cum in place of Dum. rex a regere  dicatur nomen habereNomen habet sine re  nisi studet iura tenereO.P.142: A bracket in the right margin connects the preceding two lines; a wavy line joins l. 141 to the bracket.Þanne gan alle þe comunes  crie . in vers of latynTo þe kyngys counceyl  construe . who-so woldeversusPrecepta regis  sunt nobis vincula legisO.P.145: This line is followed by three ticks.Ratounes .Wiþ þat ran þer a route  of ratounes at ones And smale myce wiþ hem  moo þan a þousandAnd comen to a counceyl  for her comune profiȝtFor a cat of a court  cam whanne hym likedeAnd ouerleepe hem lyȝtly  & lauȝte hem at his willeAnd pleyede wiþ hem perelouslich  & possede hem abouteFor doute of dyuerse dedesO.P.152: OC2 alone have dedes in place of drede(s).  we dorenO.P.152: O alone has doren; all other beta witnesses have dar. not wel lokeAnd if we grucchen of hys gamen  he wole greue vs alleCracche vs & clawe vs  & in hise cloches holdeÞat vs loþeþ þe lijf  or he lete vs passeMyȝtenO.P.156: OC2 alone have the form Myȝten; all other beta witnesses have Miȝte. we wiþ any witt  his wille wiþ-stondeWe myȝten be lordis a-loft  & lyuen at oure eseA Ratoun of renoun  moost renable of tungeSeyde for a souereyn  help . to hym-seluenO.P.159: OC2 alone have hym-seluen; all other beta witnesses have hymselue.I haue seyn segges quod he  in þe cite of londonBeren byes ful bryȝt  abouten her neckisAnd summe colers of crafty werk  vncoupled þei wendenBoþe in wareyn & in wast  where hem leue likiþAnd oþer-whyle . þei arn ellis-where  as I here telleWere þer a belle on her byesO.P.165: YOC alone have the plural form.  bi iesu as me þinkeþMen myȝten wite where þei wentenO.P.166: OC2 alone have the form wenten in place of wente.  & awey renneAnd riȝt so quod þeO.P.167:   GOC2F alone have þe in place of þat. ratoun  resoun me schewiþTo bigge a belle of brasse  or of bryȝt siluerAnd knytte on a koler  for oure comune profiȝtAnd hange it vp-on þe cattis hals  þanne . here we mowenO.P.170: This and the preceding line are encompassed by a very lightly written red parenthesis in the right margin.Where he rit or restiþ  or renneþ to pleyeAnd if hym liste for to layke  þanne loke we mowenAnd peren in his presence  þer-while hym pleye likiþAnd if hym wraþþeþ be ywar  & his weye schonyeAl þis route of ratounes  to þis resoun assentedenO.P.175: O alone has the form assenteden in place of assented.Ac þoo þe belle was I-bouȝt  & on þe bye hangydÞer ne was ratoun in al þe route  for al þe rewme of fraunceÞat durste haue bounde þe belle  aboute þe cattis neckeNe hangen it aboute þe cattis hals  al Englond to wynneO.P.179: The letter <E> has been rewritten in the right margin in the main scribal hand, apparently because the <E> in Englond is ill-formed.And helden hem vnhardi  & her counceyl febleMyceAnd leeten her labour lost  & her longe studie A mous þat myche good  couþe . as me þouȝteStroke forþ sterneli  & stode bi-forn hem alleAnd to þeO.P.184: OC2 alone here lack the object of the prepositional phrase, and thus the first alliterating stave. Most B manuscripts have route of. ratounes  rehercede þeise wordisaiijÞouȝ we killedenO.P.175: O alone has the form killeden; variants include haddyn kyllyd (F), had Iculled (R), kylled (C2), kulled (CLM), killen (WHmG), and kylle (HYCr). þe cat  ȝet schulde þer come an-oþerTo cracche vs and al oure kynde  þouȝ we cropen vnder benchisFor-þi I counceyle al þe comune  to latte þe cat wortheAnd be we neuere so bold  þe belle hym to scheweFor I herde my sire seyn  is seuene ȝer ypassedÞere þe cat is a kitoun  þe court is ful elengeÞat witnessiþ holi writ  who-so wole it redeVe terre  vbi puer est RexO.P.192: HmOC2R alone transpose Rex est. & cetera .For may no renke þere rest haue  for ratouns bi nyȝtÞe whyle he cacchiþ conynges  he coueitiþ not oure careyneBut fet hym wiþ venysoun  defame we hym neuereFor better is a litil losse  þan a longe sorweÞe mase amongys vs alle  þouȝ we mysse a schreweFor many mennys malt  we myce wolden distroyeAnd also þe route of ratouns  rende mennys cloþisNere þat cat of þat court  þat can ȝow ouer-lepeFor haddenO.P.201: O alone has the form hadden in place of hadde or omission. ȝe rattis ȝoure wille  ȝe couþenO.P.201: O alone has the form couþen in place of kouþe. not reule ȝow-selueI seye for me quod þe mous  I se so mykil afterSchal neuere þe cat ne þe kitoun  bi my counceyl be greuydNe carpyng of þis coler  þat costede me neuereAnd þouȝ it hadde cost me catel  biknowe it . I noldeBut suffre . as hym-self wolde  to do as hym likiþCouplid & vncouplid  to cacche . what þei mowenFor-þi . iche a wyse wyȝt  I warne . wite wel his owneWhat þeiseO.P.209: YOC2 alone have the plural form. metels bemenettO.P.209:It would seem that O alone has bemenett, which Kane and Donaldson do not record. C2 has bemenet.  ȝe men þat ben myrieDyuyne ȝe . for I ne dar  bi dere god in heueneȜet houedenO.P.211: O alone has the form houeden; most B manuscripts have houed. þere an hundred in howues of silkSergeauntis it semeden  þat serueden at þe barrePlededen for penyes  & poundis . þe laweAnd not for loue of oure lord  vnlose her lippis onesÞow myȝtist better . mete þe myst  on malueren hillisÞan gete a mumme of her mouþe  but money be schewidBarouns & burgeys  and bonde-men alsoI seyȝ in þis assemble  as ȝe schul here afterBaxters & brewsters  and bocheris manyeWollen websteris  and weueris of lynnenTaylouris & tynkeris  & tolleris in markettisMasouns & mynouris  & many oþere craftisOf alle kyn libbynge laboreris  lopen forþ summeAs dykers & deluers . þat doon her dedis ille O.P.224: In the top right margin of this folio is a mark resembling an <n>, partially effaced by smearing with water. The hand responsible cannot be identified with certainty, but resembles hand 2.And dryuen forþ þe longe day . wiþ dieu vous saue dame EmmeCookesCookes & her knaues  cryeden hote pyes hote Goode gees & grys  go we dyne go weTauerners vn-til hem  tolden þe sameWhyte wiyn of Oseye  & rede wiyn of GascoigneOf þe Ryne & ofO.P.230: O alone lacks þe before Rochel. Rochel  þe roost to deffyeAl þis sawe I slepynge  & seuene syþes more .